USPS lost my "Guaranteed" package

arie85

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I sent on Wednesday an envelope, a very important one via "Global Express Guaranteed" service of the USPS & FedEX - USPS basically is supposed to take my package, and transfer it to FedEX and FedEX ships it for me.
It's cheaper in like $20-$25 than going to FedEX Kinko's so I thought why not use them.

I did everything right, I used the GXG envelope as they told me, wrote clearly my name and the address where it goes to, paid the almost $40 shipping (in FedEX Kinko's it's about $65) and was happy with everything.

So I tracked my package and on the same day I sent it the update stopped which was weird, but I said oh well, probably it will be updated tomorrow but again - no update, so on Thursday night I called the number on the slip and it always transfer me from USPS to FedEX but FedEX said they haven't received the package from USPS and that's why the tracking # doesn't show up in FedEX, only in USPS.
They investigated and tried to search for my package but couldn't find it


So on Friday morning I went to the USPS office where I sent the package from, and the people there told me that the guarantee date on the package is Monday, so as long as it's not Monday there's nothing they can do. They told me everything is okay, "the package is in route".

I told them it can't be okay, it's not normal to not see updates for 2 days, it's International Express, it takes time to get there, but they insisted and told me that as long as it's not Monday they haven't failed with anything, and only if it doesn't get there by Monday - then I can come to them with a complaint.

Well, I called USPS number, they always want to transfer me to FedEX, when I told them not to because it's their fault they told me they sorry but they're only customer service on the phone, I have to go to the post office again.

There is no update for the package and it's basically lost, my question is what can I do about it? Just get my money back? I lost more than the money for the shipping - so what can I do about it? I feel very upset and I don't think I will trust USPS again, their "guaranteed" service is a joke!

If you have any ideas what to do besides getting my money back please let me know, I lost the document now, I saved a copy but I don't think it will help me now, I need the original and USPS lost it
 

mrblanche

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We used USPS a few times when I worked for an oil company, and we discovered their guarantee was useless, so we just bit the bullet and used FedEx.
 

monaxlisa

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I worked for USPS for a few years and customer service isnt really a concern for them, its more about making money. You can get a refund, and file a complaint, but other than that they'll probably just tell you tough luck

for it showing up!
 
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arie85

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Thank you people


It's really sad they don't care about their customers, I thought they would when it comes to GXG service (=Global Express Guaranteed) but basically it looks like I can pay them to ship something and they won't care if it's sent or not, worse case just refund...

Such a shame.
 

mrblanche

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And they can't figure out why their business goes down every year!
 

clixpix

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I've sent packages that were never updated on the tracking site that got to their destination just fine. I'd give it until Monday or Tuesday before even beginning to start to worry about it.
 

fastnoc

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at one time I was CEO of a business that used UPS and FedEx to ship all over the country and to foreign addresses (computer sales, and we sent ruggedized laptops to iraq, germany and other military installations. but also sold to the public).

We had UPS lose packages. At the time we filed, we first had to wait 30 days before we could even file a claim, then it took up to 6 months to complete any investigation they had.

it was awful. We never had the problem with FedEx that I can remember.
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by clixpix

I've sent packages that were never updated on the tracking site that got to their destination just fine. I'd give it until Monday or Tuesday before even beginning to start to worry about it.
FedEX says they don't have the package, that they never received it from USPS and it's not being shipped at all.
 

clixpix

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Originally Posted by arie85

FedEX says they don't have the package, that they never received it from USPS and it's not being shipped at all.
Yeah, I don't necessarily buy that. It's my firm belief that most of the time people will tell you they don't have it because they don't want to bother looking. That's why the tracking is never updated.
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by clixpix

Yeah, I don't necessarily buy that. It's my firm belief that most of the time people will tell you they don't have it because they don't want to bother looking. That's why the tracking is never updated.
I wish that will be the case but to be honest I don't believe so.
 

whisky'sdad

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Originally Posted by arie85

Yes I did, but what is it good for?
It insures your package for however much it is worth. If it doesn't get there, is damaged, etc, they pay you the insured value.
 

icklemiss21

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I have had the same problem as Kelly, and from the secret santa, lots of people have the same problem.

FedEx only knows they have it if someone bothers to both scan it and enter the information into the main system, often they scan it but don't upload the information or just don't scan everything.

I sent a package to the UK via the same sort of service from Canada. It was scanned where I live and that showed in tracking, then it went to Toronto, back to the city right beside me and showed it at the US Niagara Falls border for a week (this is a 5 day delivery). In the mean time my sister called to say it arrived, but FedEx who were taking the delivery from the US to England 'didn't have the package'. About 3 days after she received it, Royal Mail in the UK updated their tracking to delivered, a week after that I got a tracking update showing my package in OH, PA and 'en-route international'
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I have had the same problem as Kelly, and from the secret santa, lots of people have the same problem.

FedEx only knows they have it if someone bothers to both scan it and enter the information into the main system, often they scan it but don't upload the information or just don't scan everything.

I sent a package to the UK via the same sort of service from Canada. It was scanned where I live and that showed in tracking, then it went to Toronto, back to the city right beside me and showed it at the US Niagara Falls border for a week (this is a 5 day delivery). In the mean time my sister called to say it arrived, but FedEx who were taking the delivery from the US to England 'didn't have the package'. About 3 days after she received it, Royal Mail in the UK updated their tracking to delivered, a week after that I got a tracking update showing my package in OH, PA and 'en-route international'
Well, my tracking via USPS shows only this:

Processed, July 16, 2008, 3:40 pm, DALLAS, TX 75230
Acceptance, July 16, 2008, 2:48 pm, DALLAS, TX 75230


So in your case you could see an update or so - in my case that doesn't exist. It just left Dallas but no further information.
 
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arie85

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Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I could see Canada Post's updates, once it was accepted by FedEx, I seen nothing until a week after that
So you say it's a tracking issue but the package is delivered normally? FedEX told me they looked for the package and tried to locate it but couldn't find it - so they were wrong?
 
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